People wore masks for about a week, and school was canceled for a week (a week and a half for elementary). I did stay mostly at home for that week, but more because I had nothing to do, and less because I was afraid of catching the flu. The entire OCS 7-12th grade came over to our house from 9-2 for 2 different days that week, because a guy named Carter came down for the week to teach the kids about debate, and have them do a significant issue debate at the end of the week. Unfortunately for Carter, he came down from the States to teach for a week, and then school got canceled. Fortunately for Carter, we had two huge debate sessions at our house to make up for it.

Laurel's debate partner, Hannah, was sick the first day, so I was her stand in parter. I did a lot of research about the Genocide in Darfur, something I was vaguely familiar with - but up until then, didn't know much about. After a few hours research, I quickly put my thoughts down in writing. They are not hard and fast convictions of mine; they are just my present day opinions, and they are subject to change at any time.

With that in mind, here is what I wrote that morning on April 30, 2009.

"It is essentially a civil war, between the arab africans, and the non-arab africans. The conflict is rooted most basically in money. Since there has been a long standing drought, many are left with no food, water or income. Western Military Forces can not intervene for either side, without massive backlash. Intervening for the government will cause many to see us as corrupt. Intervening for the non-arab africans will be very "racist" against the arab africans. What needs to be sought is a workable peace treaty, and any money spent in the country should be spent to resolve the water problems. If we fix their problems, they won't have anything to fight about.

General Opinions:

America should not police the world, like the older sister who's always getting in the way making sure her little brothers aren't getting into trouble with each other.

Military intervention should be avoided at all costs.

Radical Islam is something to take seriously.

Iraq needs to be studied, we must learn from our "mistakes".

The Chinese and Russian invested oil interest in Sudan is very important, to important to be looked over. They will always support whoever controls the oil.

Difficult travel and highway robberies make aid very hard to distribute. "

Anyone with a different view, particularly a more humanitarian view, is welcome to challenge my opinions... I'd like that, because I could learn more.